


Significant Change

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 11:22:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16196543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: “Eight years of service and what has it gotten me? Huh? A broken family, a lifetime of lies, 16 different names, 16 different home addresses, no wife, no kids. I don’t even know what I want anymore.”Nick remembers these words and goes on a trip down memory lane.





	Significant Change

On a cold Saturday night Nick sat on the floor by his fireplace. In front of him were piles of pictures scattered across the floor.

Really, he should have been in bed sleeping but he had woken up from a dream having this sudden urge to look through the pictures all taken within the last four years of his life. Nick pulled picked up one of the pictures and shook his head with a small smile.

It was taken his first week on team Gibbs, Abby had forced him to stand by his desk saying she had at least one picture of every team member in her office and needed his. He wasn’t smiling in the picture but Abby didn’t seem to care, said it gave the picture _character_ , whatever that meant.

It had been four years since. Nick found it hard now to remember the Nick Torres in that picture. The photo brought back a memory from not long before it was taken. Being in Vance’s office with Gibbs, Nick clearly remembered shouting at the Director as he felt his walls begin to crack.

_“Eight years of service and w_ _hat has it gotten me? Huh? A broken family, a lifetime of lies, 16 different names, 16 different home addresses, no wife, no kids. I don’t even know what I want anymore.”_

Things had changed since then.

Being on team Gibbs meant his different names and addresses were now one in the same, well expect for his move into the house he lived in now from his apartment.

Nick glanced at a picture of himself, Lucia, and Amanda.

While his family wasn’t broken anymore, things would never be the way they were before all his undercover assignments but they were still that, family.

Nick didn’t lie about much anymore. His lifetime of lies ended after learning to trust his NCIS family.

But the biggest and most significant change of all…

Picking up the only photo album in the bunch, Nick smiled.

He turned to the first page and continued to flip through as the memories came to him.

 

_Nick paced in the bullpen with the rest of the team minus Ellie and Ducky._

_“I thought you said she was okay?” Nick said in an_ _agitated tone to Gibbs._

_Gibbs gave him a look. “She is.”_

_“You know Ducky-” Abby tried placing a hand on his arm. “He likes to be thorough with his examinations.”_

_Nick let out a noise and continued his pacing. He didn’t notice the looks exchanged betwe_ _en everyone else._

_A few seconds later the elevator dinged and out walked Ducky and Ellie who seemed fine expect for a few cuts._

_Nick felt as if he was going to explode._

_“I’m sorry Gibbs.”_

_Gibbs looked at him, his lips lifting into a smile._

_“For what_ _?” Palmer asked, confused as he looked between them._

_“For breaking rule 12.”_

_Nick didn’t see or hear any of the reactions to his words, his only focus was walking towards Ellie who smiled brightly at him. He wasted no time in pulling her against him, lo_ _wering his lips to hers. He felt more then heard her gasp before kissing him back._

_Abby’s squeals were nothing but a distant sound._

* * *

_Ellie had a hold of his hand as she dragged him through a festival. They had stopped at so many booths he had_ _lost count of them all. And he had lost count of how much food she had ate too._

_“Oh my god Nick, look!”_

_Nick looked to where she was pointing and made a face. He had no idea what type of food it was, but it looked disgusting to him. “What is it?”_

_She rolled her eyes. “_ _Never_ _mind_ _that, I’ll be right back.”_

_She let go of his hand practically bouncing as she went to the booth selling the disgusting food. Nick shook his head with a chuckle._

_He took a glance around while he waited when one of the game_ _booths caught his eye. Or more like one of the prizes caught his eye. It was a sheep stuffed animal that looked exactly like pictures he had seen of a sheep Ellie use to have when she was younger. It was ugly in his opinion, but he knew Ellie would love i_ _t._

_Nick glanced behind him to see her still waiting in line. He caught her eye and signaled where he was going. She looked a little curious but nodded anyway._

_It only took one round for him to win the ugly stuffed sheep._

_And by then, he only had to w_ _ait a few more minutes before Ellie walked over to him happily munching away on her food. Her eyes shot to his face when she noticed the sheep in his arms._

_“I didn’t think i’d ever have the pleasure of seeing Nick Torres holding a stuffed animal.” She tea_ _sed. Nick rolled his eyes and practically shoved it in her arms._

_“I won it for you.”_

_Ellie smiled big and squeezed the sheep. “It looks just like Cotton Ball.”_

_Nick scratched the back of his head. “Uh yeah, I guess.”_

_“Thank you, Nick.” Ellie_ _leaned forward for a kiss that Nick happily gave._

_A warm feeling filled him and he couldn’t stop smiling if he tried when Ellie dragged him off again this time towards a photo booth._

_He found himself wondering if this was what actual love felt like._

* * *

 

_They had only been dating for a few months when Nick found himself in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving with Bishop’s family. His sister Lucia and niece Amanda liked to get away for the holidays since his brother-in-law’s death. And so, it was either go with_ _Ellie or have Thanksgiving with the rest of the team where Jimmy was cooking the turkey again this year...Nick wasn’t going to take his chances._

_But going back to Oklahoma with Ellie also meant meeting the family. Or in her three brother’s case, meeting_ _them again. After he had told them to their faces that Ellie wasn’t his type._

_It was a little tense the first few hours but they had gotten through it. Her brothers were pretty easy going once they knew their sister wasn’t coming to any harm and Ellie’s_ _parents were a relaxed pair that asked him a few questions that he easily answered and warmed up to him right after._

_Nick sat on the porch after dinner that night, but was soon joined by George her oldest brother._

_“So._ _.._ _I_ _thought she wasn’t your type?”_

_Nick tensed up a little. “I thought she wasn’t...but then I got to know her more.”_

_George nodded and took a drink from his beer. “I gotta say, it makes me a little worried that she’s with you. Not ‘cause of you, but she already went through the pain o_ _f losing Qasim who wasn’t even a field agent...and now she’s dating you, who is always in dangerous situations.”_

_“I know.” Nick took a sip of his own drink. “That’s actually one of the reasons I waited so long to tell her how I felt.” Was he really_ _spilling his guts to one of her brothers? “I saw what she went through after Qasim...and I couldn’t bring myself to risk having her feel like that again.”_

_“So what changed?” George asked._

_“Ellie went overseas for a case, she was only supposed to be gath_ _ering intel.” George nodded, his face making it known to Nick that he knew the story already. “When I heard Ellie and the other agent she was paired with got into a situation, It drove me crazy that I wasn’t there. I was standing there with the others wait_ _ing for her, and it hit me that while she could lose me like Qasim...I could also lose her.”_

_George nodded in understanding. “While I hate the thought, that is true.”_

_“What’re you guys talking about out here?”_

_Both of them jumped at Ellie’s sudden voic_ _e. They looked at each other before George cleared his throat. “Nothin’ sis, just a little male bonding.”_

_Ellie gave them a suspicious look but decided to drop the subject. “Mom wants to take a family picture of all of us before everyone else comes down t_ _omorrow.”_

_George went inside and Ellie moved to go follow but stopped when she noticed he wasn’t getting up. “Uh Nick, you coming?”_

_Nick gave her a confused look. “Why? You said family picture.”_

_Ellie chuckled and pulled him from the chair. “That_ _means you too. I don’t just take anyone home you know. Mom considered you family the moment you walked through the door.”_

_“A-are you sure? ‘Cause I can just wait out here-”_

_“Eleanor, Nick!” Barbara Bishop shouted before poking her head outside. “Just wa_ _iting on you two, and you know how much trouble it is for your brothers to sit still for too long.”_

_“Coming mom.”_

_Barbara nodded and went back into the house._

_“Nick.” Ellie grabbed onto his hands. “You gained a family when you joined the team, and I know family isn’t something you were_ _use_ _d_ _to after being undercover, but now you have two. Our_ _NCIS family_ _, and the Bishop family.”_

_Nick looked into the window of the house to see her parents and brothers gathered. He came to like being part of his NCIS_ _family, and knew it wouldn’t take long for him to like this one too. He already loved one Bishop family member._

_“I love you, Ellie.”_

_Ellie grinned widely before giving him an enthusiastic kiss that he returned. And would have happily continued, if her_ _youngest brother Robbie didn’t start banging on the window._

_“I love you too, Nick.”_

_Nick followed her inside and in seconds found himself grinning happily as they took their family photo._

* * *

_“Uh Nick...are you okay?” McGee asked, walking into the bullpen that only held Nick who_ _had his_ _head on his desk._

_“No,”_

_Nick let out a grumbling noise and looked up. McGee stopped short at how terrible he looked. It looked like Nick hadn’t slept in a week._

_“You look like crap.”_

_“Thanks.” Nick said sarcas_ _tically. “Like I didn’t already know that.”_

_“Ellie’s will be back in a few days.” McGee said. “I mean I know her and Gibbs have been gone for a little over a week now-”_

_“That’s not why.” He quickly said. McGee gave him a doubtful look. “Okay so my_ _lack of sleep has to somewhat do with Ellie not being here, but that’s not the big reason!”_

_McGee walked over to Nick’s desk. “Alright, what’s going on?”_

_“How’d you know when you wanted to marry Delilah?”_

_McGee seemed to choke on air for a few seconds_ _. “What?!”_

_“Tim!”_

_“Sorry! I just didn’t think you’d want to get married, and I know Ellie would be fine with it-”_

_“I want to marry her.”_

_“Well okay...why ask me how I knew then if you already know you want to?”_

_Nick sighed. “I haven’t slept ‘cause I f_ _eel that I want to, but I’m just not sure.”_

_“It was kind of a simple moment for me.” McGee said. “I mean Delilah always did these little things for me just because she wanted to not because she had to, but one morning she got up early before I left for work just to make me a breakfast burrito with seven layers.” Nick couldn’t help but chuckle. “When the case we had was over, I started looking up engagement rings._ _Actually_ _,_ _it was Ellie who came up and mentioned the burrito and said something like ‘that’s love’.”_

_“So._ _.._ _I’ll_ _just know for sure at some random moment?”_

_McGee shrugged. “Possibly.”_

_It was the day Ellie got back that the moment hit him._

_“What’s this?” Nick asked, opening up a wrapped box that held a picture frame. On the right side of the_ _frame was a little cartoon image that looked an awful like that suit he wore when McGee was trying on suits for his wedding, on the left side of the frame was a suit that looked like the one Reeves wore. On the top of the frame were the words ‘Waiter’ and_ _on the bottom was ‘Johnny Cash’._

_Nick’s head snapped up to look at Ellie._

_“I heard you guys jokingly call each other that a few times even after that day...I knew someone who could make it and it finally came in-” Ellie pulled a picture from her_ _bag. “I thought you could put this picture in it.”_

_Nick smiled as he took it from her hands. It was a simple picture of him and Reeves, but it’d go perfect in the frame._

_He put the frame and picture down, pulling Ellie down onto his lap._

_“No one’s eve_ _r done something like this for me before.” Nick wrapped his arms around her._

_Ellie kissed him as his arms tightened around her, it was a kiss filled with nothing but love. Something Nick didn’t know was possible before her. It was in that moment he knew._

_When they finally pulled away a little breathless, Ellie jumped up from his lap._

_“Hey_ _hey_ _! Where do you think you’re_ _going_ _?_ _”_

_She grabbed her phone and motioned towards the frame. “You need to take a picture with it!”_

_“What?” Nick looked at her as if_ _she was ridiculous. “You want to take a picture of me holding a picture frame instead of making out?!”_

_“If you do this, we can do much more then make out.”_

_Nick never moved for something so fast in his life._

* * *

_“How does it look?” Nick asked, movin_ _g his phone around the decorated school gym._

_“It looks AMAZING!” Abby shouted through the phone, Nick turned the phone back to him to see Abby on the video chat jumping up and down in her lab._

_“Thanks for the help Abbs...and for actually keeping it a_ _secret.”_

_Abby put her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know I’m great at keeping secrets when it matters! But_ _never_ _mind_ _that, we’ll all be at McGee’s waiting for your call.”_

_Nick nodded. “Alright.”_

_They hung up and Nick decided to take one more sweep_ _of the gym._

_Tonight_ _,_ _was the night he would propose to Ellie. A lot of work had gone into this._

_He had thought about just doing a typical proposal but knew Ellie deserved more than that. It took him forever to come up with a plan, until he accidentally saw a photo from her high school prom. Nick knew it was a night that still bothered her to this day, he may be a guy but he knew prom was important for a lot of_ _teenage_ _girls, but it had turned into a disaster for her getting written in as prom queen as a joke and having all the kids in school practically laugh in her face._

_Nick couldn’t go in the past and change that for her, but he could make her thing of a happier memory in the same school gym._

_Abby’s help was enlisted when he decided to do more than propose in her_ _school_ _'_ _s_ _gym. He wanted to recreate her prom. And so, Abby helped him find out at least partially what the gym had looked decorated for it, and how to go about getting it all ready. From pictures he had seen of the prom, the gym looked practically the same if not aged a few years. Along with Abby, Nick had gotten Ellie’s brothers in on it to help him decorate since he was on a time limit. Barbara was at the house helping a no doubt confused Ellie get ready but even she didn’t know what her daughter was getting dressed up for, Barbara was just following Nick’s instructions._

_One last thing he checked before it was time for Ellie to walk in the doors, was to make sure the cameras get around the gym were ready and timers on them were set._

_He h_ _ad just walked back to his spot when the doors opened._

_“W-What? Nick?” Ellie’s mouth was open in shock as she looked around the gym while walking towards him._

_She looked beautiful._

_“Welcome to prom.” Nick grinned and spread his arms out gesturing to th_ _e whole gym._

_“Yeah...I see that. I thought we were in Oklahoma to spend time with my family for my birthday since we can’t next week?” Ellie gave him a suspicious look but was smiling a little._

_“We are.” Nick shrugged._

_“Nick.” Ellie laughed._ _“What’s going on? This had to take a lot of work to do.”_

_Nick took her hands in his. “Look. I know you wished your prom, a supposed to be magical moment, was different.”_

_“So._ _.._ _you_ _decided to recreate it?”_

_“Yes.” Nick reached down into a bag he had besid_ _e him and pulled out the prom queen crown he had found stuffed way back in her closet._

_He placed it on her head gently, “You didn’t deserve what happened, Ellie.”_

_She tried to say something but Nick continued to talk._

_“When I first joined the team, you were the first one to try and become my friend and I don’t think I ever told you how much that meant to me. You became someone I know I could trust and talk to if I ever needed it. And before I knew it...I wasn’t just looking forward to going to work for the thrill of the cases, I started looking forward to seeing you_ _every_ _day_ _. I started making up excuses to carpool just to see you a little more, driving you crazy on purpose not only_ _‘cause_ _I liked seeing how crazy it made you, but_ _‘cause_ _it meant I had your attention.” Nick took a deep breath. Ellie’s eyes were wide. “I never thought_ _I'_ _d_ _find someone that I didn’t mind showing myself all too, someone who I would let in completely, but you broke down my walls Ellie. Reeves once told me that one day I’d want more out of life_ _th_ _a_ _n_ _just the thrill of the chase, I didn’t believe him for a second until I realized I love you. Right_ _now_ _,_ _if someone gave me the choice of having either you or the action of chasing bad guys, I’d pick you in a heartbeat Ellie.”_

_Ellie ha_ _d a few tears falling down her face at this point._

_Nick pulled the ring box out of his pocket and got down on one knee._

_“Ellie-” She gasped, but didn’t look terrified so that was a good sign. “Will you marry me?”_

_“Yes.” She whispered, frantically nodd_ _ing her head as she laughed. “Yes!”_

_Nick quickly slid the ring on her finger and jumped up, pulling her into his arms before swinging her around. Ellie laughed loudly and kissed him the second he set her down._

_“This…” Ellie said with a giggle. “Is the_ _best prom I could have asked for.”_

_“It’s not over yet.” Nick grinned and brought a small remote out of his other pocket, pressing a button that made music play throughout the gym. “Dance with me?”_

_Ellie giggled once more. “I would love to.”_

* * *

_Nick threw his head back in laughter as he spun Ellie around on the dance floor before pulling her back to him._

_She had only become Mrs. Torres two hours ago._

_Ellie seemed to be glowing, a smile never leaving her face which in turn made him happy. As a_ _slow song came on, Nick pulled her closer to him. She let out a happy sigh that made him grin._

_It had been nothing but a perfect day. Team Gibbs including Abby, Ducky, and Palmer had today and the next day off for the wedding, and of course he and Ellie_ _had the next week for their honeymoon. Nick was banned from seeing Ellie until it was time for her to talk down the aisle which drove him crazy but it was worth it in the end seeing her walking towards him looking like a literal angel._

_Palmer stood there_ _to officiate the wedding, McGee was beside him as his best man, Ellie’s brothers were his groomsmen, Delilah was Ellie’s matron of honor, and standing with her were also Abby, Quinn, and Sloane._

_Everything was perfect._

_Suddenly Ellie was laughing at s_ _omething, pulling him from his thoughts. Nick turned his head to see what was funny. Quinn was dancing with Tony DiNozzo, who had flown in with his daughter Tali not wanting to miss Ellie’s wedding. Both of them had huge smiles on their faces and looked to_ _be having a good time._

_“I’m so teasing Alex about that later.”_

_Nick shook his head with a chuckle._

_“I could go for another piece of cake.” Ellie mumbled._

_“Of course.” Nick laughed. “_ _Never_ _mind_ _the fact you already had three pieces of it.”_

_“Hey_ _that first piece didn’t count, you smashed most of it on my face!”_

_“Tradition.” Nick grinned cheekily. “And it’s not like you didn’t return the favor.”_

_Ellie smirked. “It was fun.”_

_Nick spun her around once more before pulling her towards the_ _cake._

_They both grabbed a piece and sat down at their empty table._

_“This has got to be the best cake ever.” Ellie said as she took a bite, letting out a moan that had him straightening in his seat._

_“Ellie.” Nick leaning over whispering in her ear. “I_ _f you don’t want me ripping that dress off you, I’d keep those noises to yourself.”_

_Ellie’s cheeks flushed. “Couldn’t help it.”_

_“I bet.” Nick said with a look._

_“Auntie Ellie, Auntie Ellie!”_

_Nick pulled away from her just in time as a wild head of cu_ _rly hair flew onto Ellie’s lap._

_“Hi Tali.” Ellie smiled and tapped her on the nose making Tali giggle._

_“Abba said I have to meet new uncle!”_

_“He’s right about that.” Ellie turned Tali in her lap to face him. “Tali this is your Uncle Nick.”_

_Tali_ _squealed and jumped at him, making Nick have a moment of panic that she’d fall as he quickly grabbed her._

_“Hi_ _Tali_ _.” He said softly. He had to hand it to Tony, he had one_ _adorable_ _daughter. “I heard a lot about you.”_

_“Really?!” Tali grinned._

_Nick mad_ _e a sound of agreement. “You are much more pretty then I imagined!”_

_Tali giggled loudly. “Like a princess?”_

_“Just like a princess!”_

_“Tali!” Nick heard Tony call from the dance floor. “Come dance with your old man!”_

_She looked at Nick who gave her a_ _kiss on the cheek before letting her off his lap. Tali ran off towards her dad._

_“You’re going to be a great dad.” Ellie said, leaning into him._

_Nick squinted at her. “You aren’t trying to tell me something, are you?”_

_Ellie scoffed._

_“Right, stupid que_ _stion.” He placed wrapped his arm around her and placed a kiss on her forehead. “You’ll be a great mom.”_

_Ellie smiled brightly as she melted against him._

* * *

 

_They had only been married three months when Ellie said those words to him._

_“I’m_ _pregnant.”_

_Nick dropped the coffee cup he was holding, shattering the cup and sending coffee all over the floor._

_“You’re...you…” Nick stumbled over his words. “Pregnant?”_

_Ellie bit her lip and nodded. “I._ _.._ _I’m_ _sorry.”_

_“Wait, why are you_ _sorry?” Nick stepped around the broken cup and coffee, moving towards Ellie._

_“I must have missed a pill or something!” Ellie insisted. “I know it’s too soon for kids, or maybe you really didn’t want any in the first place-”_

_Nick kissed her, shutting her_ _up. “Ellie, I want kids. With you.”_

_Her eyes watered. “Are you sure? Because we kind of have one on the way.”_

_“Yes.” Nick hesitantly placed his hand on her stomach. His baby was in there. Their baby._

_“Nick.” Ellie said in a small voice. “I already love_ _this baby.”_

_He brought her into his arms, placing a kiss on her forehead._

_Neither of them noticed Victoria Palmer who was staying over while her parents were on an anniversary trip take a picture with Ellie’s phone._

“Nick?” Ellie’s voice called from behind him.

Nick put the album back on the floor.

“Hey, what’re you doing up?” Nick asked, getting up to help Ellie to the couch.

“I woke up. It’s colder when you aren’t in bed.” She let out a sigh of relief when he placed a pillow behind her back. “Not to mention your kid kept kicking me.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “It’s always _my_ kid when they bother you.”

“Damn straight.” Ellie mumbled. Her hand ran down her big stomach.

“Still kicking?” Nick asked, placing his hands on her stomach right away getting his answer.

“Four more weeks left.” Ellie practically whined.

“Penelope, stop kicking your mother.” Nick said to her stomach in a stern tone.

To his amusement and Ellie’s disbelief, the kicking stopped.

“Figures she’s a daddy’s girl.” Ellie laughed.

Nick smirked. “Of course she is.”

“What were you doing, anyway?”

He shrugged. “Just reminiscing.”

“A lot of good memories.” Ellie murmured. Nick nodded in agreement.

With a lot more to come.


End file.
